Man Sentenced to 205 Years for Murder, Sexual Assault

Judge came out of retirement in order to sentence murderer.

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A San Francisco man who killed the mother of his child and sexually assaulted two of the woman's other daughters back in 2007 was sentenced to 205 years to life in prison.

Umar Hudson, 35, was convicted of murder on Nov. 30 for stabbing Jernell Scott, 32, outside her San Francisco home.

A jury also found him guilty of two counts of lewd and lascivious acts, one count of forcible oral copulation and one count of aggravated sexual assault on a minor in connection with the sexual assaults of two of Scott's daughters, who were 9 and 13 years old at the time.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Jerome Benson, who recently retired from the bench, returned to oversee Hudson's sentencing.

Benson said the 205-years-to-life sentence is "substantial, to put it lightly," and is appropriate for crimes that showed "a high degree of cruelty, viciousness and callousness."

"Because of the defendant’s despicable actions, five children are now left without a mother. The sentence handed down reflects the horrific and violent nature of the defendant’s actions," said District Attorney George Gascón. "San Francisco will be a safer place knowing this individual will never have the opportunity to hurt Jernell Scott’s children ever again.”

Prosecutors said during the trial that Hudson's anxiety over possibly being arrested for the sexual assaults, which the girls reported to police, caused him to attack Scott.

DNA evidence linked Hudson to the sexual assaults of the two young girls, which occurred over several months in 2006 and 2007.

Hudson and Scott had known each other since high school, and had a previous relationship, then got back together in 2005 and had a child together. The child was 16 months old at the time of the killing, prosecutors said.

After the sentencing, Martine Barbier, a victims' advocate with the district attorney's office, read a statement written by Scott's sister. The sister, who is caring for Scott's children, said, "It's not easy healing children ... who went through so much."

Hudson also briefly addressed the court. He told Benson, "Thank you for showing fairness," and said he plans to appeal the conviction.

Hudson's defense attorney, Alfredo Vea, had told jurors during the trial that his client had indeed killed Scott, but argued that the crime was done in the heat of passion and should be considered voluntary manslaughter.